Earth anchor



Patented Dec. 20, 1938 2,141,034

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICIE EARTH ANCHOR Thomas K. Cummins, St. Paul, Minn, assignor to Northern Malleable Iron Company, St. Paul, Minn, a corporation of Minnesota Application March 5, 1936, Serial No. 67,319

9 Claims. (Cl. 189-92) This invention relates to improvements in exto Figure 1 showing one of the upper leaves partly pansible earth anchors for guy rods, to which in section to illustrate stops;

bracing wires for poles or like devices are secured. Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of the device An object of the invention is to substantially with all leaves spread, or in anchoring position;

improve the construction of anchor devices by and 2.5

using a plurality of anchoring leaves and so ar- Figure 4 is a vertical section taken approxiranging them as to obtaina maximum of anchormately on line 4--4 of Figure 3, looking in the ing ability with a minimum number of leaves. direction of the arrow.

A feature is the use of two pairs of leaves, one Referring to the drawings, numeral I indicates pair arranged above an upwardly outwardly a guy rod h vin the usual y and threaded 1'0 opening pair of lower leaves, and adapted to be at its lower end as at 3 for the reception of the tamped outwardly and downwardly to anchoring usual nut 4 which acts as a stop. Translatable position after the lower leaves have been moved p the rod S a p a 0 d element generally .upwardly to anchoring position. The use of such indicated at 6, herein called a slide. This slide a device results in a substantial increase in anis suitably reenforeed- On its pp S e by dia- 1:5

choring action. metrically related ribs 1 which merge into a Another feature is the arrangement of the axes hOllOW extension The y passes through of swing of the upper leaves in a horizontal plane this eXtenSiOn and through the p as w and substantially at right angles to horizontally T S e s p v to its lower Side, in y arranged axes of the lower leaves. Another fea- Suitable manner. a p r of leaves- The partic- =2 ture which leads to unusual efliciency is the com- 111m" manner of pivoting forms no Da O t e bination of leaves which move to anchoring posi- Present invention, but it is ShOWn a accomtion in directions opposite to one another; irre- Pushed in accordance W the disclosure of spective of what the angular relation of the axes Emry Patent 2,025,353- of respective leaves may be to one another. Aneferring to Figure 1 O t e of t e 22 other feature is the pivoting of n leaves on slide which is the lower face when the device is common support, which slides on the rod, and used, is pair of bearings O anchor another feature is the arranging of the pivots leaves me deiechebly Pivotaiiy e ted With of respective pairs in planes close to one another. the bearings and adapted to be pread t0 the A feature is the use of a pair of leaves which position Shown in Figures 3 and This pivetat can be tamped to anchoring positions after the is accomplished by Providing ch leaf with device is in the ground and after a first anchora D of trunnions and by engaging ne truning means has been moved to anchoring position. of each leaf With each bearing. See Figure Another feature relates to means for holding the bearings and trunnions being 50 arranged the guy rod t prevent Suding, when the device that the trunnions can be engaged therewith by 235 is introduced into the ground, with this means of motion in an axial directioh- One Of the leaves such nature that it permits Sliding of the rod is indicated at l5, the other at IS. The bearings when driving force is applied to drive the rod into are spaced substantial distance apart cohfolmthe ground, as when it is desired to abandon the ably to the substantlal transverse width of the anchor instead of bothering to dig it out. Thus, leaves For some purpqsesr j m' of ii) driving of the rod is possible, due to release of a can usgd and.there Is no intentlon to hmlt temporary holding means, properly associated i mverimon entirely to the kmd 9 leaves but with the guy member and anchoring means the specific relatlons of the specific forms of thereon. Another feature relates to the mounteaves are also cla'lmed' Each lower leaf is shown as bein dished on 45 mg of the above means on a part other than the anchor. tnat side which is faced downwardly when in anchorin osition. From Ob ects, features and advantages of the ing p the concave face of each leaf ro'ect air of 1- vention will be set forth in the description of the tending g g g p if; is? s drawings forming a part of this application and each having projecting therefrom a trunnion. 60

in said drawings The trunnions are respectively indicated at H],

Figure 1 1s a side elevation showing the device 29 d 2|, 22,

in collapsed position ready to be introduced into The leaves are thus pivoted to a slide to swing a hole in the ground; upwardly about a horizontal axis. Each leaf Figure 2 is an elevation taken at right angles has also on its concave side a pair of lugs 23 and =55 means is provided for controlling spreading of the leaves to anchoring position as the slide is forcibly translated upon the rod. This controlling means includes a sleeve 25 through which the rod may slide. The sleeve is provided with a pair of perforated lugs 26, see Figure 1. Two links 28 are provided and each link has one end pivoted as at 29 between lugs 23 of the corresponding leaf. At its opposite end the link is pivoted as at 30 to one of the perforated lugs 26 of the sleeve.

It is obvious from the above description that after the device has been placed in the ground and upon applying force against the slide 6, the leaves are forced apart to anchoring position shown in Figure 3. To hold the parts in collapsed position shown in Figures 1 and 2 so that the device can be introduced into an opening in the ground without spreading the leaves, each leaf is provided with pairs of marginal openings indicated at 35. Through each pair is passed a wire 36 having its ends merely bent over as shown at 31 to temporarily but releasably secure the leaves in the position shown. When force is applied to the slide, the wire ends are released.

The foregoing upwardly opening leaves, in conjunction with the leaves now to be described, form the main feature of this invention. Each upstanding rib has a lug 40. A second pair of leaves is provided, said leaves being indicated by the numeral 4|. Each leaf is forked as at 42 to straddle the lug 40 and rib I, and a suitable bolt 43 is passed through openings in the parts of the fork and through the lug 40'to pivotally secure the leaf. The bolt can be held against axial movement by any suitable means, but is herein shown by cross pin 44 having bent-over ends.

Each leaf is provided with a stop shoulder 45- which limits its inward and upward movement at such an angular position that a tamping tool can be simultaneously engaged with the inner surfaces 46 of the leaves 4|; It is noted that the inner or upper faces of the leaves are concave and that in edge view, as shown in Figure 2, the outer ends of the leaves are reversely curved as at 41. Each leaf is reinforced on the outer or lower side by a centrally located rib 5B, and each leaf is provided with at least one opening 5|. Through these openings, a wire is passed to secure the leaves in upper position shown in Figure 2, while the device is being lowered into the ground. Each leaf is also provided with a second stop shoulder 53 which limits the outward and downward movement of the leaf, as shown in Figure 4. This shoulder engages with the outer end of the rib 1.

It is noted that in this embodiment, the horizontal pivotal axes of the upper leaves lie perpendicularly to those of the lower leaves and this is a particularly advantageous arrangement inasmuch as when both sets of leaves are in anchoring position, an anchoring surface is provided which is substantially continuous over a large area. is also noted, and this is a valuable feature, that when both sets of leaves are in anchoring position, they lie adjacent one another, that is in almost the same plane, being spaced substantially only by a distance equal to the thickness of the plate 5. It is to be again noted that the upper leaves 4| are moved as a result of tamping after the lower leaves have been moved to anchoring position.

The blades of the leaves 4| are released when a tamping tool engages the wire, on the first blow of the tamping tool. Repeated blows on the element}! expand the bottom leaves of theanchor. After the bottom leaves are expanded the next operation is filling the hole with dirt. During the shoveling of the dirt the tamping tool is used and this functions to spread the leaves 4| pressing them into the solid walls of the hole. After this work has been accomplished, any pull on the anchor rod meets with resistance from the leaves 4| which enter more deeply into the solid earth, as the anchor tends to resist the pull. In this way the leaves cooperate to substantially increase the total anchoring area of the anchor. Moreover, since the leaves 4| are anchored in the side wall they resist any tendency for the bottom leaves to collapse in case these bottom leaves are not fully expanded, because of a rock or other obstruction located laterally of the walls of the hole.

Another feature of the invention relates to means for preventing sliding of the rod in the sleeve 25, or its equivalent, while the device is being introduced into the hole. This sliding occurs because the outer edges 55 of the'lower leaves l5 catch on the sides of the holes. To prevent sliding and yet allow release of the rod when it is desired to drive it into the ground after abandonment of the anchor, means is provided on the bottom of the element 25 which is releasable. The use of such a means on an anchor control element, as distinguished from its use on the anchor proper, is a valuable feature.

In this embodiment, the element 25 has a pair of downward extensions 56-5l, the extent of the cross-sectional area of which is shown in Figure 3. The space between these elements 56 is sufiicient to easily receive the nut 4, but to prevent turning of the nut which is square. The arm 56 has on its edges notches or depressions 59 and the exten-v sion 57 is provided with a rib 60 which is notched as at 5|. Circumscribing these cross-sectionally elongated extensions and held inthese depressions is a wire 62 secured as by twisting at 63. By inspection of Figure 3, it is to be noted that the portions of the wire bridging the space between the arms are so arranged as to be engaged by the nut to prevent sliding of the rod. When using this releasable means, if the edges 55 happen to strike the earth, the rod will not move downwardly because of engagement of the nut with the wires. However, when it is desired to abandon the anchor, driving force applied at the top 64 of the rod will cause the nut to break the wire to allow the rod to be driven, and buried completely in the ground.

By reference to Figure 3, it is seen that the anchoring area is substantially increased. An important point is the relation of the pivoting planes of the two sets of leaves, as well as the arrangement of the upper pair of leaves, whereby they can be spread to anchoring position by tamping. The scheme can and is intended to be used in combination with any type of lower anchoring means and is not .limited to use with the pivoted-leaf type.

I claim as my invention:

1. An earth anchor having, upper and lower separately pivoted pairs of swingable leaves the lower pair adapted to swing upwardly about their pivotal points when expanded to'anchoring position and the upper pair adapted to swing downwardly to anchoring position.

2. An earth anchor having, upper and lower separately pivoted pairs of swingable leaves, the lower pair adapted to swing upwardly about their pivotal'points when expanded to anchoring posi-. tion and the upper pair adapted to swing downwardly to anchoring position, the pivotal axes of respective pairs of leaves being substantially perpendicular to one another.

3. An earth anchor having a guy rod and having upper and lower pivoted pairs of swingable leaves, the lower pair adapted to swing upwardly about their pivotal points when expanded to anchoring position and the upper pair adapted to swing downwardly to anchoring position, said leaves being separately pivoted to a common support which is carried by the guy rod.

4. An earth anchor having, a guy rod and having upper and lower pivoted pairs of swingable leaves, the lower pair adapted to swing upwardly about their pivotal points when expanded to anchoring position and the upper pair adapted to swing downwardly to anchoring position, said leaves being pivoted to a common support which is carried by the guy rod, and the pivotal axes of respective pairs of leaves being substantially perpendicular to one another.

5. An earth anchor having, a guy rod and having upper and lower anchoring means, the upper means comprising a pair of separately pivoted leaves adapted to be moved outwardly and downwardly to anchoring position by means of a tool introduced between them from above, and means for releasably securing the leaves in raised nonanchoring position.

6. An earth anchor having, a guy rod and a slide thereon, said slide having upper and lower pivoted pairs of leaves, the lower pair adapted to swing upwardly about their pivotal points when expanded to anchoring position and the upper pair adapted to swing downwardly to anchoring position, and means by which motion of the slide on the guy rod swings the lower pair to anchoring position, the upper pair being adapted to be moved to anchoring position by means of a tool introduced between them from above.

7 A device of the class described comprising, a guy member, means slidable thereon, and having pivoted thereto a first pair of leaves which swing upwardly on horizontal axes and a second pair of leaves which swing downwardly, means by which anchoring position, and means by which said upper leaves are releasably held during anchoring engagement of the lower leaves, said upper leaves being adapted for movement to anchoring position by means of a tool introduced between them from above.

8. An earth anchor having an element slidable thereon and two pairs of anchor leaves separately pivoted on said element, said pairs being arranged to swing toward one another in performing their anchoring function, the anchoring faces of the respective pairs when in anchoring position lying in substantially parallel relation with a common plane which passes between the pairs, the pivoted relation' of the pairs being such that when in anchoring position the surface areas of the anchoring faces cooperate to substantially increase the total anchoring face area of the anchor, and the pivotal points of the pairs of leaves being adjacent one another.

9. In an anchor of the class described, a rod, a member movably mounted thereon and carrying an expansible anchoring means, a toggle mechanism for expanding said anchoring means including a sleeve mounted on the rod, a nut received in threaded engagement with the lower end of the rod for limiting movement of said sleeve in one direction, and whereby when the member is moved in a direction towards the sleeve, the toggle mechanism is operated to expand the anchoring means, oppositely disposed downward extensions on the lower end of the sleeve for preventing relative rotation of the nut with respect to the sleeve, and a wire element secured to said extensions below the nut and posi- -tioned in the path thereof, thereby to prevent 

